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Mahikeng - A miner from Samancor Chrome mine has been shot
dead outside a bottle store in Kroondal, near Rustenburg, North West police said
on Thursday.

"The information we have is that he works at Samancor
mine, not Lonmin, not Anglo, not Implats," said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

"We are not linking this to Tuesday's shooting, it is a
separate incident."

It was alleged that the man and a woman were getting into a
car outside the bottle store at about 17:00 on Wednesday when men fired at them.

"The man died on the scene, and the woman was taken to
hospital because she sustained injuries."

The gunmen were in a car at the time, and a picture of their
vehicle was circulated to police. A short while later the car was pulled over
by police near Pharisa mine, on a road leading to Marikana.

"Four suspects were arrested; two firearms were found
in their possession," said Mokgwabone.

Marikana shooting

On Tuesday, a man was shot dead in Marikana. The 38-year-old
was walking home when occupants of a car shot him. His attackers fled the scene
and have not yet been arrested,

Police have not yet revealed the man's identity, but a case
of murder was opened.

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday named him as
Bongani "Bhayi" Mehlonkomo, a member of the Association of
Mineworkers and Construction Union.

The commission heard that Mehlonkomo was shot dead in
Marikana on Tuesday evening, and that other mineworkers in the area feared for
their lives.

The commission heard that police witness "Mr X"
had repeatedly mentioned Bhayi at the inquiry, implicating him in the August
2012 murders of police officers and Lonmin security guards. Other mineworkers
feared being named by him.

Mr X is under police protection and may not be identified.
He has been testifying via video link from an undisclosed location.

The inquiry, chaired by retired judge Ian Farlam, is
investigating the deaths of 44 people during strike-related unrest at Lonmin's
platinum mining operations in Marikana in 2012.

Police shot dead 34 people, mostly striking mineworkers, and
wounded 70, on 16 August 2012. In the preceding week, 10 people including the
two policemen and two security guards, were killed.

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